New CIO focuses on university-wide networking

Fachhochschule Dortmund's IT-AG has a new host: In his additional role as "Chief Information Officer" (CIO), Dr.-Ing. Christian Schlösser, head of the university's IT department, has taken over the management of the university-wide strategy group. In this interview, he gives an overview of his dual role and his goals.

Mr. Schlösser, why is it advantageous that you are now head of department and CIO at the same time?
The combination of both functions brings together important organizational possibilities in a practical way. After all, it's not just about responsibility for personnel and financial resources in your own department, but also about strategic IT responsibility for the entire university.

What do you have in common with your CIO predecessor Prof. Dr. Lutz Niehüser(Opens in a new tab)  from the Faculty of Business Studies?
Long-standing and well-established teamwork, for which I would like to say a big thank you to him. He has been instrumental in driving forward what we have achieved so far in IT and digitalization. And together we have already successfully worked on the IT Strategy 2025, which I will now pursue and continue.

What role does teamwork play in your future steps?
I see the IT of the entire university as a team. I attach just as much importance to this as I do to the trusting collaboration with the Rectorate, especially with Prof. Dr. Franz Vogler(Opens in a new tab)  as Vice-Rector for Sustainability and Digitalization. And also with Andreas Salewski(Opens in a new tab) , my deputy as Head of Department and CIO, for example.

What relevance do you attach to the topic of IT security?
IT security is the cornerstone of the overall concept! That's why I'm in regular consultation with our information security officer René Lütgenbruch(Opens in a new tab)  regarding measures and guidelines to ensure that our university is in the best possible position in this area - for example when it comes to protection against cyber attacks.

What other general challenges do you see as CIO?
The importance of digitalization continues to grow, the complexity of the IT infrastructure and IT applications is increasing, while implementation resources are limited and even decreasing. In addition, in a complex organization such as a university of applied sciences, a wide variety of stakeholders as well as legal and ethical requirements have to be taken into account.

How do you deal with these challenges?
In order to do justice to the diversity and multitude of needs, I am relying on even more networking and even closer cooperation between the faculties, central units and administration - and with users and IT. In my view, this is essential. In order to set the course for this, I will strengthen and further develop the IT working group as a platform for joint exchange.